Hogwarts Year 7
by New7thCordero
Summary: Harry, Hermione, and Ron are off hunting for the 7 Horcuxes. But what of Hogwarts? How are the students and faculty holding up against Snape and the Deatheaters? What of Dumbledore's army? Does anyone have the courage to lead them? Is there a hero left?
1. Chapter 1

**Hogwarts Year 7**

The students filed slowly into the Great Hall. There was none of the usual excitement or hustle and bustle. The room was very dead and reserved. The Great Hall was lit more dimly than ever and the sky was full of nothing but dark clouds. The students were virtually silent as they sat down for dinner. Neville looked down at his plate. There was no pudding or steak or delicious pies; none of the delicacies that used to be served at the opening feast. It was just bread, water, and half cold meat. Neville looked up and caught Ginny's glance, she was sitting next to him,

"Well this is going to be a fun year," she said. Neville tried to fake a smile but it looked more like a grimace.

When dinner was done, Headmaster Snape went to the podium where Dumbledore once stood. There Dumbledore would fill the children's heads and hearts with hope and promise. Just a year earlier he had warned them that the Dark Lord was plotting to take control of Hogwarts.

"So this is our fault," Neville muttered under his breath.

"What?" Ginny leaned into him and whispered.

"Our fault," Neville repeated, "We are the Dark Lord's greatest weapon, remember? Dumbledore's speech last year, he's won because…because we were too weak."

"What's the matter with you?" Ginny Whispered rather loudly, "It's not our fault and he has not won. Keep your head together. We just have to…"

"What are we going to do? What can we do? It's over…" Neville interrupted and hung his head in shame.

"Are you really that pathetic? What happened to the Neville who used to be…" But Ginny was again interrupted, this time from the front of the room.

"SILENCE!"

Snape's voice rang throughout the Great Hall. Ginny muttered something under her breath. Neville stared at the table with an empty glance. "As you know," Snape continued, "Hogwarts is… under new management. Things are going to be very different around here. There will be a strict curfew every evening following study hours. Those caught carrying on after hours will be punished severely. We wish to avoid the expulsion of students who have… disciplinary issues, however, certain steps will be taken to enforce policy and conduct."

Snape glanced over to his right to two ominous looking characters standing behind the Slytherin table. "I would like to introduce two new additions to our faculty this year. They will also be serving as 'policy enforcement officers.' Would Amycus and Alecto Carrow please step up to the faculty table." The two characters walked slowly behind Snape and stood perfectly still. The Carrows both had a nasty scowl that the students would soon learn was pretty much their natural face. However, the terrifying aspect of them was not their scowl, but rather the inappropriate smile that accompanied it on their faces. They stood behind Snape in virtually the same stance with their hands behind their backs holding whips. They seemed to be carbon copies of each other except that Amycus was male and Alecto female.

"Amycus Carrow will be teaching _Understanding the Dark Arts_ and Alecto Carrow will be teaching _Muggle Studies_. With your cooperation, I expect to have an informative and productive year. That is all." Just as Snape was about to step down one student from Gryffindor shouted,

"Murderer!"

The entire room gasped and looked around. Snape stood at the podium and stared out at the student body in silence. Amycus broke the silence,

"Who said that?" Everyone murmured loudly.

"I know it came from over here!" He pointed toward the general direction of Gryffindor table. Alecto, brandishing her whip, moved toward Ginny and Neville. Neville knew it was Ginny who spoke. He looked on in horror as the menacing figure walked toward them. Ginny sat nervous yet boldly waiting to take her beating. She began to stand up but Neville grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back in her seat. Ginny let out a small whimper of shock at Neville's sudden move. Neville looked Alecto straight in the eye.

"It was me," He said. "I said it."

Alecto looked at him suspiciously, "That was a pretty high pitched sound for a boy your age," she said. "So I've been told," Neville replied. She considered his statement for a moment, then grabbed Neville by the arm and flung him to the floor of the hall. Before Neville could register what happened Alecto was whipping him over and over again. With every lash, Neville let out a gruesome high pitched moan. Ginny's face was red and tears were welling up in her eyes. She stood and grabbed Alecto by the arm holding the whip, preventing the next would be strike.

"Stop it! You're murdering him!" She screamed.

Alecto grabbed Ginny with her free arm and flung her back to the Gryffindor table. Ginny flew so fast that she didn't have time to brace herself for the impact with the wood. Her face slammed onto the table and then her body collapsed beneath it at the feet of her fellow classmates.

"Sit down," Alecto remarked, "Or it's you who'll be next for a whippin'" with that, she wrapped up her whip and walked back toward the faculty table. Several faculty members had risen to their feet including McGonogall. Before any teachers could run to the aid of their students, Snape had turned around and made a wordless gesture of warning to them. They knew that defying Snape could cost them their position at Hogwarts and a Death eater would only replace them. So they stood helplessly and watched as Neville writhed in pain on the floor of the hall beaten and humiliated and Ginny rose to her feet cradling a bloody nose.

"Let that be a warning to anyone with a loose and foolish tongue," Amycus boasted from the spot which he hadn't moved an inch from during the whipping. The room was dead silent for what felt like an eternity. The only smiles in the room came from the Carrows who exchanged smug glances. Then mercifully, Snape said,

"Go immediately your rooms and get some rest. Make hast and do not dawdle, the Carrows will be patrolling the halls for any… stragglers."

With that, the Great Hall began to empty of students in relative silence. Ginny knelt beside Neville and put her hand on his shoulder, the other hand still at her nose,

"Are you alright? Can you stand?" She asked.

"I'll be fine," Neville practically growled. His voice was hoarse from screaming. Ginny helped Neville up to his feet.

"Next time don't be such an idiot, I can take care of myself," Ginny said.

"Next time?" Neville said, "What next time? I'm never doing that again," Ginny smiled and leaned into Neville's ear,

"Thank you," she said and walked on ahead of him. Neville held his waist and walked slowly, he was one of the last ones to exit the Great Hall. He turned and surveyed the Hall, he remembered his first year when all the new students had lined up to wear the sorting hat. He remembered how frightened and shy he was to walk up and sit before the entire assembly. He remembered Dumbledore's calm and smiling face and the giggling and murmuring of hundreds of excited students.

Neville shook his head and exited into the corridor. He realized that he no longer recognized the Great Hall.

*A/N- I'm shooting for continuity with the seventh book so feel free to comment on any inconsistencies you notice. I'm sure I will make plenty.


	2. Chapter 2

Hogwarts Year 7

Chapter 2:

Neville stood in the empty hallway near the Gryffindor staircase. There seemed to be absolutely no one in or near his vicinity. Not even the house ghosts were about nor did the paintings move. The silence was so intense that Neville felt as though a terrible ringing was buzzing in his ear.

"Neville!" The silence was broken. Neville turned around at the sound of a very familiar voice. He saw his mother standing next to his father. They were smiling and waving for him to come closer.

"Come here Neville," His mother said, "We want to see you." Neville couldn't speak, he felt as though someone else was making his feet walk into the direction of his parents. Neville breathed heavily at the sight of them. He had visited them frequently with his grandmother but hadn't seen them like this. There was recognition and understanding in their eyes. His mother's voice was full of affection. His father looked strong and proud. Normally they looked empty and expressionless. They wouldn't even know his name or where they were.

Neville knew what he saw was impossible yet there they were. As he got closer the smiles on their faces faded. Their gestures relaxed and their arms subsided.

Neville continued walking.

He got closer and closer and his parent's faces began to twitch and contort. They screamed in pain and terror. Neville reached out his hand toward them. He wanted so much to stop their pain and help them. He was just a few feet away.

Then his parents disappeared and Voldemort appeared before him in their place. Neville froze for a moment as he stared into the grinning, conniving face of the dark lord.

"Come here my boy," Voldemort spoke, "I want to see you."

Neville reached for his wand but his hand felt nothing but his robe. He scanned the floor to see if he had dropped it. _Of all times, why did it have to be now?_ Neville thought.

Voldemort laughed and raised his wand slowly. Neville tried to shield himself with his arms.

"Avada Ka…" Was the last thing Neville heard as he saw a flash of green light. When he opened his eyes he saw Ginny Weasley's face looking down at him.

"It's alright," she said, "You're safe now."

"Where is Voldemort?" Neville asked as he sat up. He was in his bed in the Gryffindor dormitory. He looked around. The room was quiet and he and Ginny were the only two people there.

"He's gone now," Ginny said, "The important thing is that you are alright," she fixed his hair and ran her middle finger behind his ear and down his neck.

"I thought you were going to die," she said. Neville looked at Ginny's eyes as she took his hand at sat closer to him. Their faces got closer to each other but neither of them said a word until Neville could feel Ginny's breath on his face.

"Gin…" Neville began but their lips met and shut him up. Ginny's body was now above his. Neville lost control and grasped her as tightly as he could and pulled her waist against him. He kissed her wildly and moved his hands to pulls her robe off. Ginny sat up suddenly and looked accusingly at Neville,

"Wait!" she said, "What would Harry say?" she asked.

"Dude!" Neville looked up at the sound of a new voice in the room to see Ron Weasley staring at him repulsively,

"Bloody Hell man," Ron said.

Neville woke up to find himself in the same bed he and Ginny had just shared. He looked up, but Ron was nowhere to be seen in the room.

"Mum and Dad…" he muttered but then he shook his head and smacked his cheeks, "just a stupid dream," he said. He then looked at his clock and nearly jumped out of bed when he saw what time it was. As he got up, he noticed that his roommate Seamus Finnigan was still sleeping. Neville threw a shoe at him,

"Seamus wake up, we're going to be late for Carrow's class." Seamus rolled over in his bed half asleep and said,

"Wah… what time is it?" Seamus looked at the clock and sprung out bed in a similar fashion as Neville.

"Dammit!" Seamus said, "We gotta go." Neville and Seamus threw their robes on and grabbed their books and things.

"Were not going to make it," Seamus said, "Even at top speed we can't get there that fast."

Neville looked at his broom that was just protruding from beneath his bed,

"Got your broom?" Neville asked. Seamus gave Neville a look,

"Are you mad?" he asked.

"What's worse, being late or riding brooms in the hallway?" Neville asked.

"We'd probably get whipped either way," Seamus said, "'policy enforcement' remember?"

"If we're fast, no one will catch us. When we get to the other wing we can do a minimizing spell and hide them until we get back." Neville suggested.

"Great way to start day one of the school year isn't it?" Seamus said and gathered his broom. The two boys mounted their brooms and cruised out of the dormitory and down the stairwell into the hallway. Other students gasped and pointed as they sailed overhead.

"With Fred and George gone someone had to take over pulling shenanigans," Seamus said to Neville and they exchanged a high five midair. They rode hard and fast hoping that their speed would prevent anyone from having time to recognize them as they passed. They caught only pieces of sentences from onlookers who shouted at them. Some were encouraging, some scolding.

When they got outside they rose up to the rooftops of the school's towers to further hide themselves in obscurity. When they reached the wing where Muggle Studies was held, they descended where no one could see them and shrank their brooms. They ran inside the building and darted up the stairs skipping two or three steps at a time. When they got to the hall of the next room, they could see the door of the classroom.

"No running in the halls boys," McGonogall's voice rang out at them.

"We're gonna be late for Carrow's," Seamus pleaded with McGonogall as neither of them so much as slowed down at her command. McGonogall paused for a moment with an unsure look on her face as though she were arguing with herself in her head. Finally she said,

"Well hop to it then. But watch where you're going!" she shouted just as Seamus nearly clobbered a poor 3rd year from Raven Claw. He managed to roll to his right and get out of her way just in time. But as he maneuvered, she panicked and dropped her things while she let a short scream.

"Pardon me, sorry," Seamus called back. McGonogall buried her face into her hand.

Neville and Seamus sat in the back of the room just as class was beginning. They sat next to Ginny and some other Gryffindor students. Alecto Carrow's back was to the class at that moment so she didn't notice them sneak in.

Alecto Carrow turned around and faced her class. The sight of her sent a chill down Neville's back. It had only been hours since yesterday's whipping from that woman and the wound's from his lashes still stung. He hadn't had a chance to receive any medical treatment for them yet. Neville felt a strong flash of hatred swell up into his body. He felt the urge to rise from his seat and cast a forbidden curse on her. Neville remembered his dream with Voldemort and how he had walked into battle wandless. He felt the side of his robe and ran his fingers on and around his wand.

_Good_ Neville thought _just in case_.

A/N- Thank you to everyone for the nice responses and such. It encouraged me to get on writing more so I hope you enjoyed chapter 2.


	3. Chapter 3

Hogwarts Year 7

Chapter 3:

"You have been lied to," Alecto Carrow said to the students in her classroom. Many of the kids looked around quizzically at each other as she spoke. Her voice was strangely soft and sympathetic.

"You have been told that Muggles are people just like you and me. This untrue and unfair to you as witches and wizards. Muggles are simple and beast like creatures that have no place is wizard society. They are known to lie, cheat, steal, and fraud to get whatever they require in life."

Alecto looked at the class as a mother who was warning her children about the dangers of the world.

"But Muggles are not to be feared or hated, they are to be pitied. You must learn the nature of Muggle existence in order to fully understand where they are coming from and why they are the way they are. A Muggle cannot help being a Muggle any more than a beast can help being a beast. It is what they are."

Neville and Ginny exchanged disgusted looks with each other.

"Muggles are not capable of inheriting magic it must be stolen from a proper witch or wizard. But the real question is why. Why would they commit such an atrocity on another person?"

Neville scanned the room, he noticed many students paying attention with wide eyes. Not because of fear but out of curiosity and anticipation. _Are they actually buying this?_ Neville thought.

"Imagine," Alecto raised her index finger as she continued her lecture, "Imagine that you had no magical power whatsoever. You are crippled of doing even the simplest of tasks and you live in a society of people equally as miserable and crippled as you."

Alecto froze as she stared at the back of the room at no one. Her face lit up as though an angel were present,

"And then you see it," Her voice more excited, "A wizard, proud and strong, a capable and competent individual like which you have never seen before in your life. Yet he cares not about you or your plight, he goes on living in his own world, confident, smug. You think that he neither appreciates nor deserves the power that he has."

Now her voice was soft almost to the point of a whisper,

"So you wait until his guard is down, until he least suspects it and you take it from him!"

The students shot back in their seats as she suddenly yelled the end of her sentence.

"And with that stolen power, you live as he lived in a world that you don't understand a world that is not yours." Alecto seemed to come back to reality as she then said,

"It is not _entirely_ a Muggle's fault that they are so conniving and malicious. Their poor existence almost conditions them for it. Once they learn of the possibilities that are open to a proper witch or wizard, the need to acquire it is almost irresistible."

Some of the students nodded in acknowledgement, and not just the Slytherins.

"What about Squibs?" A second year girl from Hufflepuff suddenly spoke. Muggle Studies was now a mandatory mixed year course, so students of all ages were in the room. The girl continued,

"If magic can be…"

"Raise your hand!" Alecto suddenly barked at the girl. The young girl's eyes went nearly as wide as quaffles. After a few seconds, she gingerly raised her hand.

"Yes?" Alecto said, returning to creepy, sweet voice she had been faking.

"Um er… I was going to ask…" the girl spoke much a quieter and more intimidated tone, "If magic can be stolen from a wizard, would a Squib also try to take it… maybe… I just thought…"

"An excellent question," Alecto said with a smile, the girl blushed and hid her face in her book at the compliment, "Which brings me to my next point. Witches and Wizards are made of much better stock than Muggles. Although Squibs are crippled without their magic, they are still part of Wizard world. They may be a disgrace, but magical theft is above even the lowest of pureblooded wizards and witches. 

Before Neville could even think about it, he was on his feet,

"How do you know?" Neville demanded. Alecto turned to glare at him,

"I thought I made it clear that students are to raise their…" but Neville interrupted,

"Many Squibs manage to recover their magical abilities, how do you know they didn't steal it from another wizard?"

Alecto's face was red with anger but she didn't reply to Neville's question so he continued,

"In my first years at Hogwarts I was crap at magic, absolutely terrible. I was almost a squib myself, but I'm a lot better now. How do you know I didn't steal my magic from another witch or wizard?"

"Neville Lonbottom," Alecto said, trying to regain her composure, "You are a pureblooded wizard from a noble family, you shouldn't suggest such ridiculous things as…" Neville interrupted her again,

"Yeah it'd be pretty embarrassing if a pureblood wizard was nothing but a lowly magic thief, no better than a miserable Muggle. How would the Dark Lord explain that?" Neville and Alecto stared at each other for a few seconds, then she walked closer and closer to him until they were standing face to face. In a low and barely audible voice she said,

"You are just a breath away from a very long detention session with me young man,"

Neville was about to respond but he felt Ginny tugging gently on the back of his robe. He obeyed her request and sat down quietly. Alecto returned to the front of the room to continue her lecture.

"In this first chapter we will learn the basics of primitive Muggle history and culture and then we will learn how to calculate a witch or wizard's magical potential based on how much Muggle blood is in their family lineage,"

Neville couldn't resist, he stood again. Even with Ginny actively pulling on his arm and robe he was undeterred this time,

"How much Muggle blood is in your family?" Neville shouted. The class looked back and forth from Neville to Alecto horrified as to what he just asked. Alecto ran over to Nevilles chair and kicked it out from under him. Neville fell to a heap on the floor as Alecto pulled out her whip from its leather holster on her hip.

"You!" CRACK

"Shut!" CRACK

"Your!" CRACK

"Filthy!" CRACK

"BLOODY!" CRACK

"Mouth!" CRACK

She whipped him with each word she spoke. Through blurry, barely conscious eyes he managed to look about the room. He saw the distraught faces of his fellow students. They showed deep pity as they looked at him and angry contempt when they looked at Alecto.

_Good_ Neville gave a bloody smile on the floor that no one else saw. He did not scream as he was whipped this time.

_I win_ he thought.

He knew that Alecto had nearly recruited more than twenty future Death Eaters today, but with her whip, she portrayed all of the beast like qualities that she had attributed to Muggles. Neville knew the students, at least of this particular class, wouldn't give a grain of salt to anything she would ever say.


	4. Chapter 4

Hogwarts Year 7

Chapter 4:

Neville, Ginny, and Seamus sat across from McGonagall in her office. She had originally brought them into her office three hours before but when she saw the shape that Neville was in, she chastised him and demanded that he received treatment immediately. Now that Neville was patched up a bit, they again had entered her room.

"Savage brutes," McGonagall said disgustedly while looking at Neville, "To think that they would turn their whips onto poor students." Neville averted his eyes from her gaze.

"look at me," she said, and Neville reluctantly obeyed. McGonagall shook her head and said,

"You have got to learn to keep your mouth shut," she mashed her lips into a narrow pucker as she said it, "I understand how you feel, believe me I do, but you must keep your head about you or God help you they will remove it. Are you listening to me Mr. Longbottom?"

"Yes ma'am," Neville said.

"I want you to make a promise to me right now, all three of you," McGonagall said in a much more serious tone if that was possible,

"I want you to promise me that you won't cause any trouble for yourselves this year. Promise me that you won't try to fight Snape, the Carrows, or the Death Eaters in any fashion, is that understood?" She looked around at them.

"But Miss McGonagall," Ginny said, "How can we not do something? Voldem…"

"Do not finish that name young lady," McGonogall snapped at her, "It is out of your hands. You will only succeed in getting yourselves beaten, imprisoned, or worse."

"You don't understand…" Ginny began but was cut off again,

"No you don't understand Miss Weasley," McGonagall paused for a moment as tears began to well in her eyes. She made sure she was fully composed before she continued speaking. "They plan to torture any and all trouble makers. I could lose my position at this school by telling you this but I must warn you three. If you think the whippings are bad," she looked at Neville again, "Know this, they plan to torture using Dementors and forbidden curses." McGonagall looked intently at them. The three students exchanged shocked looks with each other.

"Are you serious?" Seamus asked.

"Very serious Mr. Finnigan," she shot a severe glance at him, "And before you even consider risking torture please," her voice got softer, "Please reconsider, if not for yourselves then for me. I care deeply for all of the students here at Hogwarts and I don't think I can stomach the reality of my students being tortured behind closed doors by Death Eaters. I'm not strong enough."

She paused for a moment,

"Neville," she looked at him again, this time as if she might cry, "When that monster whipped you in the Great Hall yesterday, I wept for you as I would have wept for my own child. So please, promise me you will all stay out of trouble this year."

She pulled out her wand and waved it, a handkerchief appeared. She needed it ready just in case.

"I promise," Seamus said, "I will stay out of trouble."

"I promise too," Neville echoed, "I don't want to make you cry ma'am." McGonagall snickered a little bit at that.

"Thank you Neville," she said, "Miss Weasley?" The two women exchanged glances for what felt like minutes to the boys. Finally Ginny broke eye contact and said,

"I promise."

"Good," Miss McGonagall said cheerfully as if someone flipped a restart switch,

"On to other news," she said, "I don't want my students to be spending their time mulling around all depressed and upset the entire year. They need something to distract them from all that's going on; something to lift their spirits."

She looked at them as if they knew exactly what she was referring to, but Seamus, Ginny, and Neville seemed more confused than most students do on the first day of Potions.

"As you know," McGonagall continued, "with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley missing this year, I am short two Quidditch players." She looked back and forth between Neville and Seamus.

"Ma'am," Neville began, "Should we really be so concerned about the Quidditch cup at…"

"Like I said Mr. Longbottom," McGonagall interrupted, "There are more things to life than studies and politics. Besides, I think it would be a much healthier use of you sense of adventure than fighting Death Eaters or flying broom sticks through the halls."

Neville and Seamus nearly panicked as they looked back and forth from one another, both of them refused to make eye contact with McGonagall.

"But, how did you…" Neville began but McGonagall cut him off,

"Two students were seen flying through the hallway near the Gryffindor dormitory this morning at a speed normally reserved for escaping dragons."

Her gaze on the two boys hardened,

"After witnessing your reckless dashing to class this morning, it didn't take long to put two and two together."

Neville scratched the back of his head nervously; Seamus tapped his foot trying to think of something to say.

"If I wasn't certain already it was you, the expression on your faces is very telling, I must say. I might ask how exactly you planned on resisting Headmaster Snape when you clearly can't keep your head under pressure?" McGonagall chided. Ginny couldn't suppress the grin on her face.

"So how about it?" McGonagall asked, "Will you play for Gryffindor?"

Neville exchanged a concerned look with Seamus, "I don't know if I'm up for it ma'am," Neville said, "I've never been very good at Quidditch."

"Oh," McGonagall said looking genuinely disappointed yet not the least bit concerned,

"I'm sorry to hear you say that. Well then," she held out her hand expectantly, "Surrender your brooms, both of you," Her expression was calm and neutral.

Seamus and Neville looked as though she had asked them to take their robes off, with a bright red face Seamus said,

"But why?"

"Flying brooms indoors is very dangerous and a serious offense, I'm afraid I can't let it go overlooked. Now come on, un-shrink them and hand them over. I know you're hiding them." McGonagall replied.

"But," Neville said as he began to see the light, "If we join the team you'll let us keep them?"

McGonagall slowly withdrew her arm, "Well how could I expect you to practice with the team if you have no brooms?" She said as thought it were obvious.

Seamus and Neville nodded at each other,

"Ok we'll do it," Neville said authoritatively. "I was gonna try out anyway," Seamus agreed.

"However," McGonagall's voice became sharp and firm again, "You are restricted to flying only for practice. You have lost all privileges for recreational flying until further notice."

Ginny was beginning to feel as though she was wearing Harry's invisibility cloak. She was about to say something when McGonagall spoke to her,

"What do you say Miss Weasley? Will you have them on your team? You are this year's captain I assume?"

Ginny's eyes went wide at the question. Without Harry around it made sense for her to be the captain of the team, but she hadn't thought about Quidditch at all since the previous year.

"Well," Ginny said, "I know Seamus is good, but I've never seen Neville play before."

Neville gave Ginny a nervous grin, "I'll do my best," he said with a sad boyish expression.

Ginny looked back to McGonagall with an unimpressed look on her face. She hadn't seen that side of Neville in a while; the weaker Neville whose spells would backfire and potions would explode.

"We'll see how it goes," Ginny said.

"Good," McGonagall responded in a quick manner again, "That will be all for now, you may go. There is still time left to get some studying done before dinner."

Ginny and Seamus got up to walk out of the room, Neville didn't follow.

"Are you coming Neville?" Ginny asked

"I'd like another word Miss McGonagall, if that's alright," Neville said.

"Certainly," she responded and gave a motion to Ginny and Seamus to go ahead and leave. When the they were gone McGonagall asked,

"What's on your mind my dear?"

"Ma'am, I can't help but notice that a number of students didn't return to Hogwarts this year," Neville's tone had changed to something dark and foreboding.

"What happened to them?" Neville's eyes pierced straight through to McGonagall. For a rare moment, a student was making _her_ feel nervous and uncomfortable instead of the other way around.

"Individually?" McGonagall began, "I'm sure I don't know, they weren't readmitted."

"It's only the Muggle born and some Half Muggle students," Neville said in an almost accusing tone.

"I'm sure that's why they weren't readmitted," she responded, "They are no longer approved of by the new Headmaster." McGonagall dreaded this inquiry. She was afraid of how Neville would react to the truth.

"What really happened to them?" Neville asked, "Please I must know."

When McGonagall saw the look in his eyes, she knew that he was going to accept nothing but the truth. She sighed deeply and lowered the volume of her voice,

"They were taken Neville," she admitted, "The Ministry has a knew department called the Muggle-born Registration Committee. Those who can't prove their Wizard heritage are interrogated and imprisoned."

Neville began shaking with anger, "So Dean…" he began,

"Has been imprisoned along with many others," she said with her head hung low.

"Why?" Neville asked.

"They're considered to be Magic thieves," she answered.

Neville was silent for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Finally McGonagall said,

"Neville, I know you must be very upset but…" at that moment Neville rose to his feet and said,

"Thank you ma'am. I'll be going back to study now." Neville started to head toward the door.

"Neville," McGonagall called out to him and he turned to face her, "Be careful whom you share this information with. They may beat you for trying spreading lies."

"Yes ma'am," Neville started to turn again,

"And Neville," McGonagall stood up to add, "Don't do anything foolish, remember you made a promise."

Neville said nothing. McGonagall watched as Neville's profile turned toward the door and walked out into the hallway. She sat down at her desk and grabbed the conjured handkerchief. For the second time in just two days, the rock solid Minerva McGonagall wept.


End file.
